What’s not “accessible”

Could you reach George Clooney or Brad Pitt in minutes? Probably not. Restricted access means they only give interviews for official press junkets or approved media conferences, and little else. These interviews are much harder to secure. An accessible celebrity is someone easily reachable, often directly.

Pitch the idea to an editor first

A detailed pitch containing suggested celebrity contacts made to an editor sells easier, particularly to editors you’ve worked with before. It’s not enough to tell an editor you’d like to interview three famous people – tell them who and why.

With an editor’s approval in hand, you can more easily approach celebrities with a tangible idea: “I’m writing about ferns for Plants Weekly.” sounds better to busy celebrities than a general, “I’d like to interview you.”

Spokesperson(s) and companies

When interviewing Treasurer General of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), I went to the entity’s spokesperson first. A spokesperson (sometimes public relations officer or media representative) handles all media that mentions an organization, company, party, and some private people.

Once formalities were agreed to. . . formalities like sending questions ahead for approval and sending the final draft to be approved for publication, the interview became a phone call like any other. Clearance is important and prevents unintentional mistakes or misquotes.

I interviewed CEO of Roman’s Pizza, John Nicolakakis, about franchise investments by calling their Head Office and making an appointment.

Activity on social media

Social media is a valid gauge of a celebrity’s accessibility. Many are actively involved in their own social media profiles, like character actor Jim Hoffmaster (Better Call Saul, Shameless, The Mentalist, Castle) who I’ve interviewed several times.

Send them a message with a friendly comment (in public) to check their inbox. Anything more is considered over-the-top and rude. But also, another journalist could steal those questions and beat you out of the interview. Keep questions and interview topics private.

Check their website first

Websites are the next stop for reaching celebrities. If there’s a Contact Form on the website, use it. That’s how I’ve reached authors and others like Kathy Reichs and Anne Rice for quotes or one-liners. But if there isn’t a form or email address, assume that you’ll contact their agent or representative next.

Agents and representatives

Talent agents and representatives handle bookings while celebrities focus on what made them famous in the first place. A Google search often tells you who someone’s agent is, and one more search tells you where to contact them.

Be concise, though. Agents have precious little time, too, and don’t have to approve every interview request they get. Save time (theirs and yours) by telling them: 1. What you’re writing, 2. Who you’re writing for, and 3. Who you are (as a brief, not tedious, introduction to your writing).

An agent decides within seconds on “yes” or “no.”

Bookmark the ones you meet

Journalists and writers meet many people, and it helps to keep in touch with the contacts you make. There’s nothing wrong with calling someone you’ve known for years – but if you don’t maintain these contacts throughout the rest of the year, they’ll hate you for calling only when you need something.

In November 2023, I published an interview with author and artist Deon Maas. All I needed to say was, “I’m not publishing enough this year. How’s Berlin?”

Keep answers you don’t use

Sometimes editors cut words, phrases, and entire ideas. That’s their job. Keep a folder for unused material, labelled by topic and date. If you’re short for quotes, browse through those old interviews. Just remember to seek new permission from the person you’re choosing to quote to make sure it still contains the right context and will be used in a medium they don’t mind.

About the Author: Alex J. Coyne is a journalist, writer, and proofreader. He has written for a variety of publications and websites, with a radar calibrated for gothic, gonzo and the weird. Occasionally, he also cowrites.